Sunday, May 07, 2006

Work

I work for a non profit organization. Unless you have operated in that environment and become used to it, when viewed from outside eyes, it is unusual. Volunteers are the norm, paid staff the exceptions. And meetings tend to be held outside regular working hours to accomodate the volunteers. So Ii worked Friday night, allSaturday, all today and will finalize my meetings on Monday.

No, I don't get paid for overtime. Yes, I get time off in lieu, but rarely take it. Its one of the 'catch 22' situations. You have all this extra time building up but more work accumulates while you're gone so you never get around to taking the time off because more work accumulates in your time away....etc., etc.

Its a life I know and know well. Elements of it I hate and other parts I love. Stress is a high factor but offset with working with good hearted people who are in the organizaiton for the long term, so each meeting becomes like a big family reunion.

There are wars and words, successes and failures and disagreements, but in the end we all come together and make things work out as a group. And now, a little recreation - dinner at the casino then I'll see how my luck is holding up.

1 comment:

Making A Mark said...

You describe it so well - and I speakas one who knows the trials and tribulations only too well!